


A thousand ideas, one coherent thought

by Onethousandideals



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Confused Link, Link is just so done, Not Beta Read, The Author Regrets Nothing, androgynous link, helpful champions, suicide attempt in chapter 4, urbosa is best champion, zelda is now helping, zelda isn't helping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:20:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21677395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onethousandideals/pseuds/Onethousandideals
Summary: Link doesn't understand what they are, their fellow champions, Urbosa and Daruk, help with that.Link is confused, on both their past and their future.A collection of one-shots I'll update when I feel like it.
Relationships: Link and his own issues
Comments: 8
Kudos: 89





	1. Chapter 1

All their life, Link hadn't understood the complexity of social norms. The twisted and sometimes toxic mindset of individuals that were forced upon the youth. The thing was that Link didn't feel as if they were a male or a female, they fell into this grey area of both genders that some people didn't even know existed. 

Serving as the personal guard and protector of Princess Zelda had its ups and downs. Link was given a large room in the south wing of Hyrule Castle with a gorgeous view of sunsets on certain days. In this room, they could unwind after having to deal with court politics and relax for the evening. One of the drawbacks of being Zelda's personal guard was that Link was forced to present themselves in a certain way. Hylians and visiting races often assumed his gender, making comments such as _such a strong man you have protecting you, Princess Zelda_ and _what a handsome guard, he's totally my type._ These were just a few of the comments that people made about them in passing or to Princess Zelda.

No one ever said it to their face.

One day, Link had enough of all the comments and confusing thoughts clashing in their mind. While accompanying Zelda and Urbosa on an expedition to analyze ancient ruins that had revealed themselves from the twisting sand of the Gerudo Desert, Link asked Urbosa a question.

"What does it mean to be a female?"

This seemed to stun Urbosa for a moment but she took it in stride and answered smoothly. "What does it mean to be a Hylian?" At the confused look on Link's face, Urbosa elaborated, "being female to me is an essential part of what my identity is, but so is being a Gerudo." She paused for a second to glance briefly at Zelda. "It doesn't matter what your gender is, as long as you are happy with who you are. Sure, some may doubt my capabilities as a female but I've never let that hold me back. I mean, look at me now, I'm the Gerudo Chieftess and Champion"

Zelda stood up from her position on the ground where she had been examining an ancient text in another language that Link did not recognise. "What are you two talking about?"

Urbosa just laughed loudly.

-

Mulling over Urbosa's words, Link approached Daruk next with the same fundamental question, just with different wording.

"What does it mean to you to be a male?"

Daruk thought for a minute. "Since Gorons are technically genderless, that question holds no merit with me but I can answer as a Goron who feels masculine." 

"Being a male, there are quite a few stereotypes about yourself that are, in my opinion, a bunch of steaming rocks, not even the good ones either! You are expected to be the leader of a group, the dominant one in a relationship and other examples I can't think of right at this moment but those ideals don't fit well with everyone. And that's okay little dude!" Daruk looked up as if searching the ash clouds for an answer.

"Just be the best version of yourself that you can be." Daruk faintly echoed Urbosa's words in that regard.

Link thanked Daruk for his advice and made his way back down Death Mountain, all the while wondering how they were going to tell Zelda.

\- 

Link found Zelda in her study, a small room in the western tower of the castle. Zelda closed her book and turned in her chair to look at Link. "Yes? What is it Link?" She inquired.

Link visibly gulped, nervous and sweating profusely even though it was coming the seasons were changing into Winter. 

"How would you feel if I told you I'm not a man nor a woman?"

Zelda's eyes widened and her mouth opened in surprise. She chose her next words very carefully. "It wouldn't change my opinion or how I view you if you were wondering. You're Link, my knight and friend. And you always will be." Zelda responded simply.

Link teared up, not quite knowing how to handle all the emotions swarming them at the moment. Zelda came over quietly as if she were approaching a spooked horse. She gently wrapped Link into a hug, holding them as if she could convey her feeling through contact. Link hugged her back, clinging onto her as they didn't know if they could handle looking the princess in the eye.

'Thank you" Link murmured into Zelda's shoulder. Zelda only smiled softly. 

-

end. 


	2. Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was just Link's reality.

The moon was a crescent in the night sky. Minding its own business up there, bothering no one. The same as the figure lying on a tree branch in a Weeping Willow. No one knew where they were, they were completely alone, by themselves, but not lonely, just alone. The figure whose eyes were slowly drifting closed belonged to a certain prophesied hero of Hyrule. Link had attempted to escape the bustling Hyrule Castle with mixed results. On one hand, Princess Zelda had no idea where they were but on the other hand, fellow hyrulian soldiers had seen Link setting out on Epona and would report Link’s whereabouts to their higher-ups.

Link had much on their mind tonight. Zelda having just turned 17 brought a slew of problems to Link’s immediate attention. If the goddess-chosen princess couldn’t harness her sealing powers, the Demon King could rise once again and spell the end of Hyrule, which was something that Link did not want to deal with right now. If they closed their eyes, sometimes they could faintly remember past lives, different dimensions, and fuzzy faces. Both friend and foe.

Link was tired. So extraordinarily exhausted with life. Their life was no theirs to control. The goddess Hylia held their destiny in her palms and sometimes it felt as if she tossed Link’s destiny aside and expected them to just cope with whatever problems arose in that particular timeline. So there Link laid, basking in the moon’s gentle rays, soaking up its silent guidance and knowledge.

Sometimes Link thought about just not fighting Ganon, let him take over Hyrule. Link didn’t care anymore. They were so done with repeating the same routine every century. But then Link would think of all the people that would suffer if they didn’t fight. All the common-day people who unconsciously depended on Link every lifetime. Thousands would suffer if they chose to not pick up the Master Sword and fight. The consequences would ripple throughout time, forever affecting Hyrule and changing the course of its history forever.

Link also questioned why it had to be them. Why did they have to be the goddess-chosen hero? Why were they cursed with reincarnation after every death? Link was done with living; they’d already lived about 10,000 years’ worth of lifetimes. That was why Link was reckless in their fighting because just didn’t care anymore. Not even multiple stern lectures about being foolish from Impa and Princess Zelda could make Link any less reckless.

Link began to hum and soft melody, something they remembered from many lifetimes ago, a sweet tune with as many high and low notes as there were unusual rhythms. Link realised something just then. They were bitter about their existence, that was why they viewed the simple life of castle maids and servants with envy. The castle guards, the stable workers, the farmers who tended the fields, even the dressmakers in Castle Town, Link was jealous of them, of their simple existence, free from timeline-changing responsibilities.

The general populace of Hyrule only lived one life, one life to make an impact on the world, one life to find love and a family, one life to live. The one person who might share Link’s woes was Princess Zelda. Of course, she had never expressed any knowledge or memory of her previous lives and Link had been too anxious to ever ask. How would you even pose a question like that? “Hey, Princess Zelda, do you remember the countless times we’ve saved this sorry excuse of a nation, only to have to rinse and repeat every lifetime? No? Well, that’s too bad, because I sure do.”

Link’s head swam with thoughts, ideas, worries, fears and many more emotions. They didn’t know what to make of any of this, but did anyone? Everyone was confused and scared in these uncertain times, that was just life in general.

This was just Link’s reality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading, i hoped you enjoyed it.


	3. Sunshine rays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sunshine rays rain down on the unluckiest of children

Link is five-years-old when the first incident occurs. It starts out with their mother combing and plaiting back their long, golden hair. Link had leaned back in the chair they had been sitting in to look at their mother upsidedown. "Mother, why isn't there any girl guards where Father works?" Link had asked after noticing the distinct lack of female population among the Hyrulian Royal guards. Their mother hadn't known what to say other than, "It just isn't proper for a lady to do a _man's_ job, sweety." Link hadn't argued with their mother, had only accepted their mother's word with child-like innocence. 

Nearly 125 years later and Link was noticing a particular trend making its rounds throughout Hyrule and its neighbouring territories. Women were performing jobs and services that over a century ago had been considered for men only. Just what cultural and social evolution had Link missed in their century-long slumber? Everything was so different from Link's time. Princ- _Zelda_ now had the choice to remain anonymous to the inhabitants of Hyrule and to guide her country from the shadows. After many heated and passionate debates with Impa, several mayors and town chiefs and chieftains, the King of the Zora, the Gerudo Chief Riju (who has a budding friendship with Zelda), and the leaders of the Goron and Rito nations, they had come to the conclusion that the Royal Family's legacy would not return to modern Hyrule. Instead, there would be a council made up of members from all different species that would decide the laws, policies and trade agreements under the watchful eye of former Princess Zelda, as she had received formal training back in her _youth._

Zelda hated Link reminding her that she was over one-hundred-years-old, yet didn't look a day over seventeen.

Link was finally content in their life. Hyrule was free from the demonic reign of Ganon, peace and prosperity had been established throughout the lands, and Zelda seemed to have found her calling as a member of the council.

Life was good, Link had a gorgeous black and white mount, whom they rode out across Hyrule weekly. Link acted as a messager/foreign dignitary between the Gorons, Ritos, Zoras and Hylians. They slept under the stars, with the wind calling their name through the night, and the clouds painting figures and animals throughout the day. Life was good.

Link still sometimes received stares whenever they entered a populated area that ranged from mild curiosity to downright hostility. This stemming from the fact that no-one could pinpoint what gender Link was. Older generations assumed Link was a male, and then upon hearing the rumours that surrounded the mysterious messenger, would change their stance on Link's gender, shifting from male to female. Link _hated it_. 

Link was their own person, they didn't need anyone's opinion on what their 'gender' was. Sometimes they felt comfortable wearing casual shirts and trousers, sometimes Link preferred to wear the Gerudo attire that Riju insisted they wear whenever the visited Gerudo Town. It was their choice. 

Thoughts like these were what kept Link up at night, making them toss-and-turn on their bedroll while out on diplomatic missions for Zelda. These were the opinions of others that made Link lose their track of thought for a moment when entertaining a conversation with someone, forcing Link to apologise profusely in embarrassment. People should just mind their own business and worry about their own lives.

Link only really felt comfortable when they were surrounded by nature. Breathing in that untamed magic that kept travellers on the beaten-track. Link was a force of nature. They lived and breathed the wildness of the land, it was their element.

You could take the person from the wild, but you could never remove the wild from the person.


	4. drowning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link feels like they're drowning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a small warning for sensitive topics.

The instinct not to breathe underwater was so strong that it overcame the agony of running out of air. No matter how desperate Link was, they don't inhale until they're on the verge of losing consciousness. Link sinks,

_down_

_down_

_down_

into the depths of the lake, the rocks aren't enough though and Links's survival instinct kicks in and forces their arms to pump them to the surface. Link bursts through the waves and breathes deeply, not that they want to. 

The rocks weren't enough, Link was still too physically strong to drown. 

Link gradually makes their way to the bank and flops onto the sand in a sad pile of hylian. Shivering and with the promise of frostbite in their immediate future, Link propels themselves up to their knees and slowly begins the walk back to the Tabantha stable. 

A long while later, Link is settled next to their mount, with a hearty fire blazing beside them both. Link is content for the moment.

Every now and then, Link will jump into any random lake they come across with rocks tethered to their feet. There's no explicit reason for them doing this, except for the fact that Link is burnt out, plain and simple.

Being the personal messenger for Zelda has its responsibilities, as most duties do. And Link being the perfectionist they are, they deliver communication and status reports to the far reaches of Hyrule's land in a timely manner that has earned Link a reputation. A reputation that has spread far and wide and whenever Link happened to be in a populated town or village, they're completely swamped with requests for postage to the other side of Hyrule. Link being the kind person they are, would always accept these requests, no questions asked. After months of critic and unhappy townspeople complaining about the delivery time-period, Link'd had enough.

So they packed up their meagre belongings and made their way to the Tabantha region, exploring the snowy terrain and fighting the white-maned lynels in the area. No one had known where Link had disappeared to, not even Zelda herself. 

Link didn't care if they were shirking their responsibilities, they had already defeated Gannon, wasn't that enough? But of course not, people, no matter what timeline for lifetime Link was in, found something to complain about.

Link was drowning in everyone's complaints and expectations of them, and no one could even see it past their own problems. 

Link envied the simplistic lifestyles of forest beasts, they could wander their whole lives with only nature as their companion, the beasts of the forest could also disappear and reappear without anything or anyone question where they've gone or why they left.

About four months in of Link's self-imposed isolation was when they were first recognised while trading furs at Brazen Beak in the Rito Village. Even though Link had puffed their feather-woven hood up and over their face and with a black bit of cloth tied around the lower half of their face to make sure that their identity was obscured. A passing Rito has recognised the brilliant blue eyes that Link possessed and proceeded to alert the entire village that Link was back. Link hightailed it out of there quickly, galloping away on their mount like it was no one's business. Link didn't go to Brazen Beak to trade furs ever again and now avoids populated regions like the plague.

Link is drowning and no one can notice past their own problems.


	5. running with beasts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> link can't escape their heroic streak, and they go moose hunting.

The beasts to the north of Hyrule were a sturdy bunch, having adapted to survive sub-zero conditions. Link was watching a snowcoat fox mother tend to her kits when they spotted a Tabanthian Moose. Link’s singular thought was _I want to ride that_ before they took off from where they were crouching, startling the family of foxes in the process. Link nimbly hefted themselves up a tree in the middle of the forest they were in so as to watch the moose from a better perspective. The moose was minding its own business, ears flickering around nervously as it stayed on the lookout for predators. Link being the genius they were decided the best course of action to wrangle the moose under their control was to paraglide down to the beast. Link successfully landed on the moose’s back and gripped the beast’s tusks tightly, the moose jerked left and right, attempting to dislodge the foreign creature on its back.

The moose won in the end, with it being victorious is shoving Link off its back by ramming into a tree that had a wayward branch that caught Link unawares. Link got whacked _hard_ by the branch and went soaring off the moose, landing in a snow pile at the base of the tree. With Link being dazed and disorientated for a moment, the moose took this opportunity to run away from the crazy hylian. After a good minute of lamenting the loss of the moose, Link picked themselves up from the frigid ground and whistled for their horse.

Link’s black and white mare trotted up covered in snow, most likely as a consequence of being told to stay under a snow-covered tree. Link rooted through their saddlebags, looking for their tent and camping supplies. Link had been out in the Tabantha wilds for 8 months now in their self-imposed isolation from civilization. Link had been fed up with everyone’s expectations of them so they had fled to the wilds, where Link could be who they truly are. A force of nature.

Link had slain two white-maned lynels, fearsome monsters that had lived in Hyrule since ancient times. Link actually respected these formidable creatures, for both their prowess in battle and their keen intelligence that occasionally made Link feel a twinge of shame for bringing down such a proud monster. The white-maned lynels had the unique ability to breathe fire that made them the toughest among the species, with each of their attacks being n invitation to the grave. Link was proficient though in the battle strategies of these lynels and was more than adequately equipped to deal with them should the monster stray across Link’s path.

Link had no real plans for themselves while in the Tabantha region. Roaming around and slaying stray lizalfos or bokoblins. While Calamity Gannon had been defeated by the _Chosen Hero_ , monsters and creatures of malice hadn’t disappeared yet, which continues to puzzle Zelda who, at least when Link had last seen her, was preparing for an expedition to the Shrine of Resurrection to hopefully find answers to why the monsters had disappeared yet. Link had taken it upon themselves to put down these monsters before they posed a problem to the general populace of Hyrule. Link’s heroic soul never slumbers, the desire to protect those who are defenceless is in their very _essence_. Link can never escape their destiny, no matter how far they run.


	6. drifting part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> link remembers their time saving hyrule.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve edited a few grammatical errors in past chapters, (september 2020).

Link remembers when they woke up, it was dark and musty. They were completely alone, no one was around. Link remembers hearing what can only be described as a golden voice, it told them to awaken, a single command that completely changed Link’s world. Imagine being told that you had slumbered for a whole century, vastly outliving a normal hylian lifespan. All your friends and family from your time period are gone, the life that you lived completely shattered by forces you had no control over. This is what Link distinctly remembered feeling when the former king of Hyrule had shown himself and explained what had transpired over the century that Link had slept through. 

Link was _expected_ to save the last member of the royal family, Link had no choice in the matter. Even if they didn’t remember who they were or even who this person they were saving was. Zelda was a stranger to them in their mind, no better than someone Link might meet while travelling. This whole concept of _Goddess-chosen_ and _destiny_ was pure craziness to Link at the time. 

But Link had done as the king requested, they slew the Great Calamity and saved Zelda from her hundred-year imprisonment in Hyrule Castle. Sure, it had taken Link a few weeks to even make it to Kakariko Village on horseback and even longer still to work up the nerve to talk to Impa. 

Link had managed to tame a gorgeous black and white mare that had the attitude of Death Mountain. Fiery and explosive, this mare had not taken a shine to Link right away and it had taken a few apples and _accidental_ bucking-offs for the both of them to finally find some middle ground.

Link respected all manner of beasts, whether it be the shaggy rhinos from the north or the elegant bucks and does who frequented Hyrule’s luscious fields, Link respected their way of life. Or rather their indifference to the going-ons of the modern world around them, in the beast’s mind, _as long as the weird two-legged creatures don’t harass me, I won’t make a fuss._ It was a simple way of thinking and life that Link sometimes envied (not that they’d ever admit that to anyone). And sure, sometimes it felt sacrilege to harm the formidable wolves who roamed Hyrule, with Link sometimes purposefully missing a shot on their bow if that feeling became too intense. It was probably nothing important, just an underlying instinct from ancient times. 

Link spent _ages_ climbing and exploring Hyrule, or in Purah’s words ‘rediscovering a land that Link once defended with their life’. It was startling at first for Link to meet someone who knew them from their time as a royal knight but wasn’t covered in deep wrinkles. Purah was still a child in the eyes of many, but she managed to retain her keen mind through the decades, hopeful, like her sister, that the hero of Hyrule would return. Link wasn’t embarrassed to admit that they spent quite some time helping out at the Hateno Tech Lab, completing odd jobs here and there in exchange for rune upgrades. Link will always claim that the reason they lingered so long was to just get the upgrades to be better prepared against the Great Calamity, but Purah and Robbie both know it was because Link was lonely.

And who could blame Link? They’d essentially been alone for a whole century, unaware of their fate and what was to come, with only Zelda’s spirit as company on rare occasions, even if Link never realised she was there.

For the longest time on their journey to take down the Great Calamity, Link was alone and only had the company of their horse for comfort on dark nights. No one was there to witness the moments where Link awoke alone, shaking and silently weeping from a particularly horrid night terror that plagued them, it was in moments like these that Link was keenly aware of the fact that they had to do this by themselves. No companions who could answer back when Link occasionally voiced their thoughts. Those words, those rare sounds only heard by hylians who were now dead, forever lost to the winds of Hyrule.

Even when Link conquered a Divine Beast, the inhabitants of Hyrule and its surrounding territories still gave Link a pat on the back and sent them on their way. Link was just the fixer to their problems, an end to a means, and when that problem was solved there was no need for Link to stick around.

So Link continued on, forever a soldier to their core, marching on to the next problem to fix or monster to slay. After all, Link had the hero’s spirit, they would never leave someone in need. 


	7. drifting part 2

_Parry, defend the travellers, attack._

Three simple commands that thrummed through Link's body. They were currently in the midst of a battle against 3 blue bokoblins. Those commands sharpened Link's focus and dexterity, allowing them to easily dance around their foe, backflipping and parrying with ease. Link _had_ to defend these two travellers. 

Link had been galloping past the woodland area on their mare, the steady thumping of her hooves a quiet but needed comfort after making the decision to return to civilisation. Link had heard the screams of someone nearby, it was a sound of pure terror. Link being the busy-body they were had immediately wheeled their mount in the direction of the scream and _bolted_.

The scene Link had come across was not unusual in times like these. A hunched over figure desperately trying to shield their face, another hylian foolishly trying to get the three bokoblins attention. The hylian's grand plan to do this? Throw rocks at the creatures. This only served to make the malice-touched creatures angrier and more aggressive. Then as one bokoblin turned to the foolish hylian, Link's mare trampled the pig-snouted creature, causing the monster to ragdoll in shock. Link swiftly unmounted and swung into action, dispatching of the creatures with a few well-aimed swipes from their Gerudo scimitar.

Link felt _good_. They always did with the leftover adrenaline from the fight coursing through their body. Link aliked this feeling to when they had utilised Urbosa's Fury, a gift from the late Champion. It made them feel tingly as if there were small arcs of lightning streaming through Link's nerves. It was _electrifying._ Though Link hadn't felt the familiar gifts from the Champions since the Great Calamity had been defeated, the gifts had probably returned to their original wielders as their spirits had passed on.

Link stood stock-still for a moment, taking in the peace after the battle and allowing the cowering travellers to collect themselves. One spoke up after a moment, "excuse me, sir, thank you for saving our lives." Link twitched slightly, both from the accidental misgendering and the realisation they were going to have to _respond back._

Link awkwardly shrugged their shoulders in what they hoped was a sign they heard the hylian. Link then slowly walked away from the two figures to where they last saw their mount. Link whistled loud and clear and after a moments silence Link heard the tell-tale whinny of their mare. As they trotted away from the battle scene Link heard an uncertain "hey mister!" from behind them. 

Looking over their shoulder, Link saw one of the hylians they had just saved sprinting towards Link and their horse, an elixir of some sort in the hylian's outstretched hand. Link stopped their mount and waited for the hylian to catch up. "This is to say thank you! You left so quickly that it took us a moment to find something suitable to repay you for your daring rescue!" the hylian exclaimed with jovial exhilaration as if facing a life-or-death situation was a cause for celebration.

Link leaned down to take a better look at what the hylian was holding. It was clearly a concoction of some sort, at Link's inquiring expression, the hylian helpfully supplied that this was a speed elixir. Link was still reeling from the fact that someone was giving them a gift for Link simply doing their duty. Link accepted the gift and squirrelled it away into their saddlebags. 

Having had enough social interaction to last them the week and their heart thudding in their chest in a near-painful way, Link lamely waved to the hylian in thanks and took off on their mount at a full gallop. After a few minutes, Link's heart rate was back to an almost acceptable pace.

For as long as Link had been completing their duty, no one had ever said thank you as plainly as that hylian. Sure, other races have gifted Link weapons that once belonged to the fallen champions but Link had just strung the weapons up at their house. Link considered it sacrilege to use such important mementos from a time long past. The Zora, Rito, Goron and Gerudo had all offered Link a place in their respective domains, villages, cities and towns but Link had always found that they were still an outsider, even after Link had saved each race from their out-of-control Divine Beasts. 

Even the spirits of the fallen champions had told Link that the only thing that mattered was freeing Zelda and slaying the Great Calamity.

It was always about someone else, it was never about _Link_. One of Link's earliest memories from before the Calamity was Impa saying that Link was _just a vessel for the Goddesses to use, a puppet whose reincarnated soul never had loose strings._ It was kind of morbid that Link remembered the wisened Sheikah saying those words, yet could only remember a handful of interactions with Zelda and the other champions.

Impa was right of course, Link was just a pawn in the Goddesses great plan for Hyrule, every reincarnation was the same tale. Save or free Zelda, defeat some great evil that threatens Hyrule and its lands, pull the Master Sword from its predestal and learn to wield it so that Link could seal said evil away for another millennium. Link in every timeline never had any time to reflect on who they were and what their purpose was, apart of being the _Goddess touched Hero_.

Link was tired, so very tired. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! These one shots are really therapeutic.


End file.
